The Invention relates to a surgical suturing needle which can be moved between two jaws of a suturing apparatus wherein the ends of the needle are held alternately by the two jaws for piercing tissue to he sutured.
Such a suturing needle is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,123 assigned to the assignee of the present application. The suturing needle disclosed therein has two pointed ends by which the tissue can be pierced. There is further an eye in the center of the needle through which a suturing thread can be to passed which is then snarled to prevent it from being pulled out. The needle body is recessed near both of its opposite ends so that it can be firmly engaged in a form- and force fitting manner by one or the other of the two jaws. The needle can be transferred from one to the other jaw and is held in either of the two jaws in a predetermined oriented fashion by a retaining mechanism. The needle is curved corresponding to the path of movement between the jaws such that the tissue is cleanly pierced without tearing.
The needle is held in one or the other or, at times, in both jaws but it is not sufficiently secured in either jaw so that its rotation is prevented.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle especially for minimally invasive surgery which can be transferred between the jaws of a suitable suturing apparatus and can be securely held by either jaw in a predetermined orientation and in a predetermined angular position so that, with sufficient rigidity of the needle, the tissue to be sutured can be safely pierced.